THE BOOK OF TALIESYN

This is probably Deep Purple's weakest album (along with the self-titled album) of their early years and successful years together. The album seems very incoherent for its diverse musical styles, and the compositions are not very strong at all. This is a psycheledic-classical-hard rock fusion with heavy emphasis on hammond organ.

The songs vary ... there are straight-rock songs in the vein of the debut album (Kentucky Woman, and the Opener). There is an amazing instrumental (Wring that neck) that only was surpassed by the superior "A 200" in the album "Burn". There is also a song divided in two that begins as a common Deep Purple rocker and ends as a beatlesque section of music. Shield is a strange mellow track with a good bass riff and some nice guitar playing. Anthem is the other highlight of the album. IT is proggy and symphonic and contains nice melodies and good arrangements... its middle instrumental section is the big highlight of this album. The closer of the album is an epic that doesn't justify its length ... it has neat parts here and there, but it is not as good as an epic should be. There are also bonus tracks which may be interesting for some.

1. Listen, learn, read on (5.5/10) 2. Wring that neck (instrumental) (8.5/10) 3. Kentucky woman (4.5/10) 4. Exposition / We can work it out (6/10) 5. Shield (5/10) 6. Anthem (7.5/10) 7. River deep, mountain high (5/10)

Get it after you get all their other albums in the early-mid periods of their career.

My Rating : C-

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